Jimmy Page, Sony Pictures sued by songwriter over Led Zeppelin song

Jake Holmes, the original songwriter of “Dazed and Confused,” has filed a lawsuit in California federal court against Jimmy Page, Warner Chappell Music, and Sony Pictures. The lawsuit alleges that these parties violated a 2011 settlement agreement by releasing new live recordings of the song and featuring it in the 2025 documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin without proper credit or compensation to Holmes.

Holmes first wrote “Dazed and Confused” in 1967. The Yardbirds, featuring Jimmy Page, later adapted the song, and Led Zeppelin included it on their 1969 debut album. In 2010, Holmes sued Page for copyright infringement, resulting in an out-of-court settlement in 2011. The agreement stipulated that future Led Zeppelin releases would credit the song as “By Page – Inspired by Jake Holmes.”

The current lawsuit claims that Page and Warner Chappell breached this agreement by releasing previously unreleased live versions of the song that credit only Page as the songwriter. Additionally, the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin is accused of using the song without proper credit, listing it as “Written by Page” or “Written by Page, inspired by Holmes.”

Holmes is seeking damages of at least $150,000 per instance of infringement under U.S. copyright law. The case is filed under Holmes v. Page, No. 2:25-cv-03977, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. (

Representatives for Warner Chappell and Sony Pictures have not yet commented on the lawsuit. Holmes’ attorney, Daniel Johnson, also declined to comment.